HSP-47 IS LOCALIZED TO REGIONS OF TYPE-I COLLAGEN PRODUCTION IN DEVELOPING MURINE FEMURS AND MOLARS

To determine whether the proposed molecular chaperone Hsp47 is associa ted with the production of heterotrimeric procollagen, the distributio n of anti-Hsp47 and anti-collagen antibodies were examined in developi ng murine femurs and molars of 22-23-day CD-1 mice. In addition, the e xpression of Hsp47, and collagen mRNAs were assessed by in situ hybrid ization using oligonucleotide probes. These studies revealed that Hsp4 7 was developmentally expressed and produced in regions that are coinc ident with type I collagen. Hsp47 was not localized in cartilaginous z ones of developing femurs or in the regions of developing molars produ cing type III collagen. These results support the hypothesis that Hsp4 7 is necessary for the assurance of type I procollagen and is not expr essed with other homotrimeric procollagen molecules.